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[Con ate dog]

After a falling out with my company, I'm about to fly home sooner than planned.  I'm inclined to stay home through til the fall.

... but then I thought about summer camps, somewhere around China or even another country.  I want to pick folks' brains about this.

1. Generally. everyone's thoughts?
2. What does one do about a visa?  Mine will shortly run out, and I hope to get a new one for September, which would leave a gap if I stayed in China/ waltzed to another Asian country.

I"ve never done a summer camp.  What's the buzz?

[Fozzwaldus]

I've heard that Korean summer camps are a good place to make good money?

maybe some of the old korea hands on the board can give advice?

[cruisemonkey]

I never did any camps in my six years there, but there are lots of camp jobs that would pay well compared to China.

They have a short-term work visa specifically for doing camps.

However, I believe you would need to have your degree and CRC apostiled (or verified if you're from Canada) and notarized. There would also be the problem of obtaining a Chinese visa to come back - you can't get a Chinese visa in Korea with less than six months until the expiry of your Korean, Alien Registration Certificate.

[Raoul F. Duke]

I've never liked camps, summer or winter.

They're HUGELY profitable for the hosts, if successful, and this is achieved by pouring in as many hours and students as possible. The money may seem good, but camps can turn into a death march of long hours, little time off, and kids out the wazoo.

They also tend to NOT offer residence permits, and as such are not quite legal.

Stay in Canada, maybe spend the extra time exploring the south central USA.

[china-matt]

I was looking for some similar work...didn't quite find anything yet (and I have to wait to hear about my job for the fall anyway). But I did come across this: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/shortterm/summer_jobs_abroad.shtml
It's mostly crap, but there a few decent links to organizations that might suit you. There were some cool adventure camps, but you need to be certified in wilderness emergency response.

[Ruth]

Apparently I never learn the lesson.  I'm doing camp again this summer. The pay for three weeks of full-on kids and activities in the stinking heat of Dongguan summers used to pay for my flight home and back again. Since air fares have increased so much, it doesn't go quite as far as it used to, but still covers a hefty share of the travel budget.

Every year I say 'never again' and every year I find myself saying 'yes' when asked. Why? It's fun.

Yes, I work hard. But I also get to play hard, with the kids and with other FTs. The down times hanging out in the teachers' lounge are some of my favorite times with expats in China. I like swapping ideas with other teachers and trying new things. Camp gives me that opportunity. It's different enough from my real job that it almost (don't laugh) seems like a vacation.

Yes, the kids are little monsters. They are also little darlings. They grow on me. And then - poof - camp is over and I never get to see them again.

Despite what I say to myself at the end of camp every year, apparently I like it enough to keep coming back. It's not for everyone, that's for sure.

About the visa issue - Three years ago my niece and her boyfriend came from Canada on tourist visas and did a 3-week camp in Dongguan. The camp was at The Party conference center. I'm not sure what the camp leaders did about registering them with the authorities. They were paid in cash. It's do-able. Probably not legal, though.